New warning for diabetes, weight loss jabs due to surgery risk

Authorities have ordered the makers of popular diabetes and weight loss jabs to warn patients about this risk if they are having surgery.

Patients on popular diabetes and weight loss jabs must be warned about their increased risk of a serious airway complication during surgery, Australia’s regulator has ordered.

Surgical patients must typically fast before general anaesthetic — to avoid inhaling food — but authorities have warned popular drugs like Ozempic and Mounjaro can delay the movement of food through the stomach.

This increased the risk patients may “accidentally inhaling stomach contents” — a serious, life-threatening complication — “during general anaesthesia or deep sedation”, the Therapeutic Goods Association said on Tuesday.

“The usual fasting period beforehand may not be sufficient to empty the stomach.”

The risk was flagged as early as 2023 — when the US regulator was alerted — and several medical and health organisations, including Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists, issued guidelines in April that recommended patients avoid solids for 24-hours pre-surgery.

But the TGA has now ordered the drug’s manufacturers issue new safety warnings in Australia after nine cases where patients suffered aspiration were reported to the TGA’s adverse events database.

The TGA also urged patients to tell health professionals if they take the medications before any surgery.

The warning applies to GLP-1 and dual GIP/GLP-1 receptor agonists drugs including Ozempic, Trulicity, Wegovy, Mounjaro, Saxenda and Victoza.

GLP-1 drugs are prescription medicines that initially emerged as a diabetes treatment but — after gaining popularity for as an off-label weight-loss drugs — have now been approved in some forms as an obesity treatment as well.

Originally published as New warning for diabetes, weight loss jabs due to surgery risk